M A Y 2 0 2 1 AUPITO SU'A WILLIAM Y O U R M E M B E R O F P A R L I A M E N T F O R M Ā N G E R E SIO Noa'ia, Mauri, Ni Sa Bula Vinaka, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Tālofa, Kia orana, Mālō e lelei, Mālō nī, Talofa lava, Tēnā koutou katoa and warm Pacific greetings to all our Māngere Supporters POLYFEST 2021: It was a pleasure to accompany the Prime Minister during her visit to Polyfest alongside some of my colleagues. I see Polyfest as a symbol for New Zealand that we can celebrate the strength of our youth and their diversity of languages and cultures. That this diversity of languages and cultures are a strength we need to all fully embrace. Minister Sio with MP Jenny Salesa and PM Jacinda Ardern aat the ASB Polyfest 2021 Authorised by Aupito William SIo, 19 Wadden Place, Mangere Town Center, Auckland Our Prime Minister is a stron g supporter of Maori and Pasifika languages and cultures, and the values it teaches us. It is who we are I N T H I S I S S U E as a Pacific nation. Congratulations on 45 years of Polyfest. 45 years of diverse and thriving languages, cultures, oratory, poetry, songs, POLYFEST 2021 and dances, the maintenance of our stories, the opportunity to express our uniqueness, our strengths, and our confidence in who we I GOT VACCINATED are, and our legacy as Peoples of the vast Blue Pacific. GENERATION 6BS Congratulations to all the winning schools and students. LOCAL BOARD Thank you also to all the schools and teachers who took FROM PARLIAMENT part and supported your OUR COMMUNITY students. You are truly all excellent ambassadors for COVID-19:VACCINATION your schools and a credit to the success of the ASB EVENTS & OPPORTUNITIES Polyfest. Minister Sio and PM Jacinda Ardern with Minister Sepuloni and MP Anae Dr Neru Leavasa with students at Polyfest 2021 "O le I GOT VACCINATED I don't like needles. Have never liked needles from when I was a young kid. I upega e didn't look at the needle. I just pulled up my t-shirt and hope it doesn't hurt. fili i le po, I had made a promise to Pasifika communities at the beginning of the 'ae tatala i vaccination campaign. When it's my turn to get vaccinated, I Minister Sio getting his first jab of the Covid-19 Vaccine will make sure to let our communities le ao." know to give them a sense of The fishing net is confidence. knotted at night, but We all must get vaccinated to keep untangled in the ourselves safe, keep our families safe morning. and of course to keep New Zealand safe. - A Samoan proverb For more information visit covid19.govt.nz Minister Sio and CEO Silao Vaisola-Sef from Southseas about resolving conflict. Healthcare and Clinical Director, Tagaloa Dr Andrew Chan Mow after his Covid-19 vaccination M A Y 2 0 2 1 B's GENERATION 6BS 6 TOLOA AWARDS CHRISTCHURCH - 2021 “The Toloa Programme encourages more Pacific BOLD peoples to embrace with confidence the BRAINY learning and career pathways in STEM that can BILINGUAL lead to more fulfilling and more prosperous lives,” says Aupito William Sio. BI-CULTURAL Minister Sio with the Christchurch TOLOA recipients BROWN “Our approach for Pacific peoples is a whole- BEAUTIFUL of-community approach, with greater participation by Pacific in the Toloa Programme, helping to address the long-term challenges of only 2% of the Pacific workforce involved in STEM careers. “The Toloa Awards recognises both individual talent and community achievement, and celebrates the advancements made by Pacific Minister Sio engaging with some of the TOLOA recipients peoples of Aotearoa in this vital sector. FROM OUR LOCAL BOARD CHAIR As Chair of the Mangere-Otahuhu Local Board, we are in post Covid 19 recovery phase which will take longer than anticipated. Auckland Council are undergoing changes of maintaining services to keep local libraries, parks and community facilities operating normally. The recent Have Your Say process enable the local community of Mangere-Otahuhu to provide individual views on local matters. Work in the Youth space, there is an upcoming Youth Interfaith Forum planned for June 2021. Details will be shared on our facebook page or see www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/mangere-otahuhulocalboard Looking forward to listening to more ideas and opportunities from our local young people and their ongoing issues. - Manuia, Lemauga Lydia Sosene. For council queries contact- [email protected] Call Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board on- 09 256 5133 FOR MANGERE CONSTITUENT QUERIES Contact - Mangere Electorate Office Phone: 09 275 5345 - email: [email protected] M A Y 2 0 2 1 FROM PARLIAMENT MAJOR HEALTH REFORMS FOR ALL NEW ZEALANDERS My colleagues Andrew Little, the Minister of Health and Peeni Henare Associate Minister of Health (Maori) announced in front of 600 health professionals the establishment of a new Crown entity - Health NZ that will deliver a nationwide health service for all New Zealanders irrespective of where you live. In addition, there will be a new Maori Health Authority and a renewed nationwide focus on public health, mental health and a focus on workforce development that recognises the value of diversity. The new health organisation is a response to the need to address inequalities and the barriers that vulnerable communities such as Maori and Pasifika have faced for decades. I'm pleased to also announce that Cabinet signed off on a dedicated Pacific-led policy focus, and a dedicated focus for Pacific at the operational level of the new organisation so there is targetted support by Health NZ utilising Pacific leadership and expertise at the national, regional and local levels. In addition there is accountability for better Pacific health outcomes to the Minister for Pacific People and the La langa Fou DCE Group. Thank you very much to some of our Pacific clinicians and Pacific providers who joined us and offered their fe edback on M i n i s t e r S i o w i t h M i n i s t e r o f H e a l t h H o n the announcement. A n d r e w L i t t l e , A s s c M i n i s t e r s o f H e a l t h , H o n P e e n i H e n a r e a n d H o n A y e s h a V e r r a l l $6.6 MILLION SUPPORT FOR PACIFIC MENTAL WELLBEING FROM OUR I've just announced $6.6 million worth of funding for new Pacific mental health and COMMUNITY addiction services customised to ensure Pacific languages and values are an integral component of service delivery. One size does not fit all when it comes to supporting the mental wellbeing of our Pacific peoples. We need a by Pacific, for Pacific approach that appreciates the diversity of our Pacific communities. Pacific people are more likely to develop mental distress than the general population, but less likely to reach out for support. We must also as a community empower ourselves by better understanding the symptoms and M i n i s t e r S i o w i t h K r i s t i n a S a f o l e a n d V a k a signs of mental illnesses and know where help T a u t u a C E O , D r A m a n d a - L a n u o l a D u n l o p can be accessed. FOR MANGERE CONSTITUENT QUERIES Contact - Mangere Electorate Office Phone: 09 275 5345 - email: [email protected] M A Y 2 0 2 1 COVID-19 RESPONSE For more information visit covid19.govt.nz. VACCINATION - NEW CLINIC Minister Aupito William Sio was one of the first to be vaccinated at the new Covid-19 vaccination clinic in Ōtara. Open for the people of South Auckland, the South Seas vaccination clinic, is in the old Manukau Institute tech building, and was on its second day of operation today working through people in group 1 and 2 due to get their Covid-19 jab. N orthern Region Covid Co-ordinator Centre P acific incident controller Meg Poutasi explained it was a quick and easy process. "Find a time to come in that suits you, you can bring you family members, there's a quick health check, short wait and then you're basically called for a vaccine." They were also well resourced. "There's a team of at least 20, four vaccinators a day and they work really efficiently to help people through the process. We can do 500 M i n i s t e r S i o w i t h S a m o a C o n s u l a r G e n e r a l - F a o l o t o i vaccinations a day and there are larger sites in R e u p e n a P o g i , F o n o i f a f o M c f a r l a n d - S e u m a n u , a n d C o o k Auckland where we could do 1000 a day." I s l a n d s C o n s u l a r G e n r a l - K e u M a t a r o a a f t e r g e t t i n g t h e i r V a c c i n a t i o n i n O t a r a .